My kids call northern pike, “Boo Boo Fish,” because of their sharp teeth that can do a number on an unwary angler’s hands. While it’s fair enough to expect a pike to bite you by accident, their ferocity does lead one to wonder. Do northern pike attack humans? Could a swimmer be in danger in pike-infested waters, or this just the stuff of bad daydreams and legends? What of dogs and cats? Will northern pike eat them like a duckling? Let’s find out…
The Legend of the Water Wolf
I have been fascinated by northern pike ever since I was little. I credit three reasons:
- The biggest fish on our wall was a huge northern my Uncle Steve caught on Lake Champlain. I used to stare at it for hours and study every detail.
- My first “big fish” that I caught without help was a 6lb northern. While small by adult standards, to a six-year-old, it was incredible. It still graces the wall almost like an old sports trophy from peewee hockey.
- The folks at In-Fisherman produced an absolutely phenomenal book about northern pike, as seen below. It was one of the first books I wore out. The first chapter’s description of ancient pike lore will leave any child wide-eyed with wonder.
In the book they talk about legends of the Mannheim Pike, a monster that was said to have lived for 267 years and weighed over 550lbs. That’s just one of the many legends that abound about this great fish! Thus, it’s no surprise that people would come to wonder if northern pike attack humans. One 550lbs certainly could!
Are Northern Pike Aggressive?
Northern pike are famed for their aggression. In waters without muskie, they are apex predators that can rocket forth from the depths with no warning to slam your spinnerbait. They offer explosive topwater action, and are not are not afraid to follow lures fished right up to the boat. Indeed, you’re well advised to take advantage of this aggression by making a large figure eight with your lure near the boat. Often, this will produce a startling strike.
If you don’t believe me about their aggression, check out this YouTube clip from one of my favorite content producers, NDYakAngler:
Now, having said that, it has been my personal experience that northern pike are much “calmer” when captured than their smaller chain pickerel cousins. Pickerel tend to flop around fanatically while you’re trying to get them out of the net while pike are much more chill. Regardless, I’d take care not to put my hands close to either’s mouth, lest I wanted stitches.
Are There Any Reports of Northern Pike Attacking Humans?
There are several reports of northern pike and their larger muskie cousins attacking humans. Most of the attacks seem credited to the latter. Another commonality is that most of the attacks seem to be against the foot or leg, which indicates the pike or muskie probably weren’t attacking a human on purpose, but instead mistook their feet for a fish.
- In 1983, a 13-year-old girl was attacked on the foot by what she described as a seven-foot muskie. Of note, this same archived article discusses other attacks in 1978 and 1980 (source).
- In 2017, an 11-year-old girl was attacked by what was presumably a large pike or muskie while her feet were dangling over a paddleboard. The poor girl required multiple stitches and a surgery to repair tendons after the fish attacked her foot (source).
- In 2019, a 10-year-old boy was bit on the foot while swimming at Fox Lake in Dodge County, Wisconsin (source).
- In 2020, a Winnipeg woman was mauled by what she believed to be a muskie while swimming near a fishing lodge. She states that the fish grabbed her leg and thrashed, pulling her under (source).
In addition to these, you can also find plenty of stories or videos of northern pike “attacking” the hands of humans, sometimes when they’re releasing another fish, or just dangling in the water. This is by far the more likely way you’ll ever encounter these fish.
So Do Northern Pike Really Attack Humans?
I think it’s safe to say that while northern pike do bite humans from time to time, they don’t really attack humans. The rare cases where they do can almost all be attributed to the pike mistaking an extremity for a fish. If northern pike were a real danger, we’d know about it. The media is not shy about reporting such fascinating horror stories. Yet, as big as the internet is, there aren’t that many reports out there to find. I’m not a mathematician, but this does lead me to conclude that the chances of a human being attacked by a northern pike are exceptionally small.
Can a Pike Bite Your Finger Off?
No, a northern pike cannot exert enough force to bite your finger off. A 2015 study by Allegheny College and the University of South Florida examined the bite force of northern pike compared to barracuda. It found that the posterior bite force for the largest pike in the study (a roughly 32″ northern) was 44.0 N (source), well below the 154 N required to amputate a finger, according to a recent biomechanical study (source).
With that being said, northern pike can have anywhere from 300-700 teeth, none of which are particularly pleasant to touch. While you won’t lose a finger to a northern, it is completely plausible that they could sever a tendon or do some significant damage. Accordingly, you must never grab them by the mouth and instead lift them from the gill plate. The video below illustrates a safe way to lift a northern (both for you and the pike).
Want to learn more ways to hold fish without a net? Check out this article.
Do Northern Pike Attack Dogs or Cats?
I wish that this was also a legend, but unfortunately it is not. While I will not reproduce the videos here as they are inappropriate for a family site, I am sad to say that you can find evidence of pike taking kittens from the waters edge. If a large pike can attack a small cat, there is no reason it couldn’t do the same to a small dog or puppy. This is something to consider when taking your pup out to play near the water.
Conclusion – The Legends are Just That, but Based on Facts
As much fun as I had in my childhood reading about the Mannheim Pike and other legends, it seems that’s all they were. Northern pike are not going to attack humans, at least not with the intent of eating them. With that said, any cornered animal will attempt to defend itself and a northern pike is no different. You should handle them with respect and care while fishing, or else you may be bit. While the bite of a northern pike won’t sever your finger, it could damage it to a point that you lose its full use. Finally, your smaller pets are legitimately in danger if they get too close to a large northern, so keep them leashed.
This was an interesting article to research, and I hope you found it informative. If you have any other questions, feel free to post a comment or send me an email.
Have a great day for fishing,
John Paxton
